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San Diego, CA vs Lancaster, PA

Moving from San Diego to Lancaster? Here's what changes — from your equivalent salary to housing ($946,365 → $388,207 median home) and taxes.

San Diego vs Lancaster at a glance

Bars scaled to the range across all 200 metros; labels show actual values.

San Diego, CA Lancaster, PA Cost-of-living index San Diego, CA — Cost-of-living index: 111 111 Lancaster, PA — Cost-of-living index: 97 97 Median home price San Diego, CA — Median home price: $946k $946k Lancaster, PA — Median home price: $388k $388k Price per sqft San Diego, CA — Price per sqft: $631 $631 Lancaster, PA — Price per sqft: $222 $222 Median rent San Diego, CA — Median rent: $2,951 $2,951 Lancaster, PA — Median rent: $1,526 $1,526 Combined sales tax San Diego, CA — Combined sales tax: 8.8% 8.8% Lancaster, PA — Combined sales tax: 6.3% 6.3% Property tax rate San Diego, CA — Property tax rate: 0.72% 0.72% Lancaster, PA — Property tax rate: 1.48% 1.48% Violent crime /100k San Diego, CA — Violent crime /100k: 500 500 Lancaster, PA — Violent crime /100k: 390 390 Electricity ¢/kWh San Diego, CA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 35.3 35.3 Lancaster, PA — Electricity ¢/kWh: 21.5 21.5 Avg commute (min) San Diego, CA — Avg commute (min): 26 26 Lancaster, PA — Avg commute (min): 24 24 Avg summer high °F San Diego, CA — Avg summer high °F: 84° 84° Lancaster, PA — Avg summer high °F: 85° 85° Avg winter low °F San Diego, CA — Avg winter low °F: 45° 45° Lancaster, PA — Avg winter low °F: 22° 22°

To keep the same standard of living as $100,000 in San Diego, CA, you'd need about $87,370 in Lancaster, PA (−$12,630).

Livability — San Diego, CA: 44 · Lancaster, PA: 64 (0–100).

What your home budget buys

A $500,000 home budget gets you about 793 sqft in San Diego vs 2,254 sqft in Lancaster ($631 vs $222 per sqft).

Annual cost breakdown (at $100,000)

CategorySan Diego, CALancaster, PADifference
Housing $35,412 $18,312 −$17,100
Groceries $5,112 $4,915 −$197
Transportation $5,125 $3,440 −$1,685
Utilities $3,804 $2,316 −$1,488
Insurance $1,500 $1,200 −$300
Taxes $21,601 $9,202 −$12,399
Total $72,554 $39,385 −$33,169

Side by side

MetricSan Diego, CALancaster, PA
Cost-of-living index110.796.8
Unemployment rate6.34%3.38%
Population growth (5-yr)0.2%3.1%
Air quality (median AQI)7150
Big Mac price (est.)$6.30$5.51
Median home price$946,365$388,207
Home price ÷ income9.8×4.8×
1-yr home appreciation-1.1%4.6%
Price per square foot$631$222
Median rent$2,951$1,526
Total tax burden (% income)13.5%10.6%
Combined sales tax8.82%6.34%
Capital gains tax13.30%3.07%
Property tax rate0.72%1.48%
Healthcare (annual)$7,200$7,000
Childcare (annual, infant)$19,000$12,000
Vehicle property tax0.65%None
Avg commute (min)2624
Home insurance / yr$1,500$1,200
Auto insurance / yr$2,400$1,600
Flood insurance / yr$750$650
Earthquake insurance / yr$950$100
Electricity ¢/kWh35.321.5
Gas $/gal4.853.55
Violent crime /100k500390
Avg summer high °F8485
Avg winter low °F4522
Permit difficulty (1–5)53
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